No idea how much I’m going to enjoy these, though they all have great reviews and great creators. Oh, but I have read the first issue of PAPER GIRLS and OMG. It is SO GOOD you guuuuuuuys! DON’T WAIT FOR THE TRADE – GET IT NOW!

That’s right – once again, Dewey’s Readathon is coming up! In fact, it starts tomorrow – so sign up and clear your schedule quick, as there is still time to participate!

Anyhow, since this is my fifth (or sixth?) Readathon, I wanted to do something a little bit different. Which, given my new obsession with graphic novels, obviously meant… doing a Comic Book Readathon! The above are but a small selection of the books I have, but I thought they’d be a good place to start.

On my list so far:

Kill my Mother by Jules Feiffer

V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

Batman: the Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller

Fray by Joss Wheson

Iron Man Noir by Scott Snyder

Y: the Last Man by Brian K Vaughn

Velvet by Ed Brubaker

And, since I am a Marvel Unlimited subscriber, I think I may delve into some more of the Daredevil run by Brian Michael Bendis. I am about 6 graphic novels through the run and it is getting really dark (totally loving it, of course!).

Anyhow, I am really looking forward to doing something different for this readathon. Everyone says you should try to include some graphic novels in the mix… so why not let them take up the whole thing! It’s going to be epic, people. 🙂

I’m back with another Comic Book Post! As I said in my last edition, I’ve been reading a LOT of comic books and I’ve absolutely adored most of them. Here are a few that I have particularly enjoyed lately – all of them great for new readers.

Bodies

Even comic book fanatics may not have heard of this title – which is a real shame. It is a murder mystery set in London… in 4 different centuries. Same body, same city, but spread across time. To make things even better, 4 different artists pen the different time periods. Each gives their era a different feel and style, while writer Si Spencer ties it all together.

Bodies also is a great book if you are looking for POC characters or LGBT characters. My two favourite detectives are DS Shahara Hasan – a English-Muslim Police officer who won’t let slurs stand in her way – and Edmond Hillinghead – a closeted Victorian gentleman inspector doing his best not to be sent off to prison with Oscar Wilde.

Bodies just released issue 7 of 8 – so it should soon be out as a collected edition. Of course, I’d recommend picking up all the back issues on the Vertigo app or from your local comic book store – but I am rather biased. 🙂

HawkeyeHawkguy

You know how Hawkeye just seems like a regular guy who somehow ended up with superspies as buddies? Well, that’s what this book is all about. Matt Fraction explores the secret life of Hawkguy, his bad-ass protegé and his dog (who, fantastically, gets his own issue from his POV).

Just like Bodies, this series is wrapping up. The final issue will be out in March and comic book fans everywhere will be left bereft – wondering what the hell they did with their lives before this book of pizza, coffee and shoot-em-ups came along.

Ms. Marvel (again)

I recommended Ms. Marvel in my last Comic Book Post! and just… OMG it is getting even BETTER. While the first 6 issues focussed on her learning her powers, the later issues have started tying in her character with the larger Marvel universe. That can be a bit dangerous – especially as Ms. Marvel is read by a lot of new-to-comics readers – but it has been SO well handled. SO friggin adorable I want to thrust it into hands of passing strangers. Highly recommended.

Hope these recommendations helped. They are all great starting places for new readers, so go out and read some comic books!

As my interest in comic books continues to grow, I’ve come across a LOT of comic books I’ve absolutely adored. My average goodreads rating has jumped rather suddenly purely because I’m reading and loving so many comic books! I think that is just one of the brilliant things about finding a new genre: you start with reading the best-of-the-best, rather than having to dig through a genre you know for a new gem.

So – every once in a while – I thought I’d share the latest and greatest comic books I’ve been reading. I’m going to try not to make these too often, as I have found that blogging can sometimes have the inverse effect on my appreciation of a book… sad, but true. I should write a post about that one of these days…

On to the books!

Ms. Marvel

Everyone and their mother is reading Ms. Marvel (mine included). Let me just say: there’s a very, very good reason for that. This is a modern, fresh take on the typical superhero – perfect for the twenty-first generation. Yes, Ms. Marvel is Muslim, but more than that, she is Generation Z. The girl writes fanfiction, deals with parents who just don’t “get” her modern ways and – most of all – she isn’t even remotely confined by her gender. Ms. Marvel is a fun, fun, fun read. The first volume is out in October and is a MUST BUY for comic fans and non-comic fans alike. Highly recommended.

Thor: God of Thunder

OMG this STORY. I went into this book based off a youtube review of the series (see my post about that here) and was expecting great things. Well… it didn’t disappoint. The artwork is just so stunningly beautiful – rich, warm, soft, but depicting really tough stuff. And the story? Simply perfect. I am not a Movie!Thor fan, but after reading this storyline I can completely see the appeal. The book makes you question the role of faith in society – both the positive and the extremely negative – as well as the “purpose” a God can serve. Absolute genius. Highly recommended.

Runaways

If there is one series a YA novel fan should read, I’d say it is Brian K. Vaughn’s Runways. It follows a group of teens who find out their loving parents are actually supervillians trying to destroy the world. Talk about problems! Not only is the story unique, it also features some brilliant teenage drama to keep you engaged and flicking the pages. First released in 2004, it has been reissued this year by Marvel in a single volume for your convenience! Highly, highly recommended.

Hope these recommendations helped. They are all great starting places for new readers, so go out and read some comic books!

A small selection of the comic books that are TRYING TO TAKE OVER MY LIFE. (No, not trying. I am letting them. They are awesome.)

At some point between returning from BEA and enjoying the genius that was X-Men: Days of Future Past (OMG that movie), I made the executive decision that comic books were going to be my new thing. Because anything that has created so many awesome spin-off products (Avengers! The Walking Dead! TONY STARK!) had to be pretty awesome.

Now, my main concern about comic books: the gender thing. I worry about anything that is male-dominated, as I have no desire to patronize ANYTHING filled with the male-gaze. Life is short. Sexism is so 1880s. Female empowerment FTW.

In fact, I had tried to get into comics a few years ago… and stopped. I wandered into Forbidden Planet’s comic section and was glared at by creepy male teenagers… add to that the fact I had no idea what I was looking for and… I didn’t go back!

But forewarned is forearmed. So, I went into research mode and first decided to hit up youtube for some recommendations… and recommendations by women, if possible. There was a lot! First off, the lovely Priscilla over at The Readables was also starting out in the comic book world, so her beginners video is was a good place to start with the terminology. Knowing that the paperback editions of the comics were just bind-ups and not some super-special long edition? Really useful bloody thing to know.

Next I discovered the awesome comicbookgirl19. She is super into the superhero side and is, well, a total expert. Her comic book video for nooblers was super useful. One of her videos hooked me up with the Thor: God of Thunder series (and I lurved it). So much so, that I have to get you into it as well:

And through the awesome comicbookgirl19 came Amy Dallen of Geek & Sundry! I’d recommend ALL of her comic book videos as she is SO inspired by comic books. It is her work and her passion – her enthusiasm is for comics is totally catching. I am like “YES COMIC BOOKS WILL EMPOWER FUTURE GENERATIONS OF WOMEN TO BE AWESOME SUPERHEROS” whenever I watch her videos 🙂

I hope these videos help you get into comic books the way they have helped me. I have LOVED what I’ve picked up so far and have already spent an obscene amount of money on new titles. I FEEL NO GUILT AND LURVE IT ALL.